Collapsible rectangular container



Sept. 15, 1959 l. L. WILCOX COLLAPSIBLE RECTANGULAR CONTAINER Filed March so. 1953' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Isaac LIA/11601 I Ataornzy P 5, 1959 l. 1.. WILCOX 2,904,239

COLLAPSIB LE RECTANGULAR CONTAINER Filed March 30. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rates v This invention relates to containers formed of fibrous sheet material, such as paperboard, and has particular reference to a sheet material container having novel means which permit it to be collapsed into substantially flat form for shipment and storage.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a container-having a tubular body member and'scored'end closure members partially secured to the body member, the parts of the container being arranged so that it can be conveniently collapsed to save space duringshipment and storage and yet can be quickly and easily readied for filling when needed for use.

A further important'object of the invention is to pro.- vide a container, particularly adaptedforliquids, 'which is simple and economical to form, and at'the same time is strong and leak proof.

The invention consists in the novel features and inthe combinations and constructions hereinafter s'et-forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a embodying the invention. I ,j

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the upper end closure memberxof the container in partially open position. v Figure :3 is a plan'vie'w 'of'the container of Figure 1 showing the upper end "closure member thereof folded along a diagonal score line so that one-half of the member extends from the container in a vertical plane.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the container of Figure 1 showing the upper end closure member thereof folded back upon itself along a diagonal score line.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the container taken along line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical section through the container taken along line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the container when collapsed into substantially flat form.

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the container when collapsed into substantially flat form.

Having reference now to the drawings, the body 10 of the container is of tubular formation, square in cross section, and may be formed of a single blank which is scored in the usual manner and folded so that the marginal portions adjacent its shorter edges overlap as indicated at 11. The engaging surfaces of these overlapping portions may be coated with impervious adhesive material which is preferably of the heat sealing type, such as Vinylite, so that the portions can be sealed together upon the application of heat and pressure to form a strong liquidtight joint. It will be apparent that the tubular body 10, thus formed, can be collapsed or folded into flat form along a diagonal plane as indicated in Figure 8.

Body 10 is provided with upper and lower end closure members 12 and 14, respectively, each end closure being collapsible container ateint Patented Sept. 15, 1959 formed from square blanks. These blanks are provided with outer marginal score lines 15 on the under sides thereof and inner marginal score lines 17 on the upper sides thereof, "the distance between lines 15 and "17 being equal to the distance between lines 15 and the peripheral edges of the blanks. At each corner of the blanks a substantially square portion thereof is cut away as indicated at 18, the inner'corne'rs of "the-cut away portions being located at points approximately equidistant from the-shorelines 15, 17. In addition,theupper end closure member 12 *is provided with diagonal score lines 20, '21, while lower end closure member '14 is provided with diagonal'scorelineslz, 24. In-eachendclosure the area defined by the inner marginal score lines 17 is substantially equalto the cross sectional area of tubular body 10.

In-ordinary practice, thecontainer will be substantially fully formed at the container manufacturing plant by forming up the tubular bodies 10 as described hereinabove and then assembling the bodies and end closures in the following manner: An end closure is inserted into each end of the body so that the portions of the closures bounded'by-inner marginal score'lines 17 are iperpendicularto the'longitudinal axis of the body and spaced'from the ends 'a distance equal to the distance between the inner'andouter scorelines 17, '15. This causes the portions hetween'the marginal score lines of each end closure to beform'ed into a rim or flange '25 engaging the interior surfaces of body 10 adjacent one end thereof, and permits the flaps '27, formed by'cut away portion '18 and outermarginal some lines 15, to befolded over the end edges of the b'odyinto engagement with the exterior surfaces thereof... It will beunderstood, of course, that in the assembling operation the body 10 can be'c'arried by a mandrel adapted tobe indexed to stations where suitable machinery positio'ns'the scored end closure blanks in the bodyfinthe described "manner. I

The engaging'surfaces ofthe e'nd closures and'body arecoatedwith impervious-adhesive material which is preferably of ih'ehoat sealingtype such as Vinylite or, if desired'thenjenibers may beso coated in their entirety. Having positioned the "end closuresin'the body as .described here nabove, two adjacent ,sidesof each end closure a'r'e' sealed'tothe'body 10 by the application of heat and pressure to two adjacent sides of the flanges 25 and to their corresponding flaps 27. Thus, in the illustrated example, flange sides 25a, 25b and corresponding flaps 27a, 27b of each end closure are sealed to the body 10.

Since the flange sides 25c, 25d and corresponding flaps 27c, 27d of each end closure are not sealed to the container body, it will be seen that the triangular half of the end closure including these sides and flaps can be folded back about a diagonal score line into a position overlying the secured triangular half of the end closure. Thus, as may be seen in Figure 2, the free half of upper end closure 12 can be folded back on its diagonal score line 20 into a position overlying its secured half as indicated in Figures 4, 5 and 6. Similarly, the free half of lower end closure 14 can be folded back on its diagonal score line 22 in the same manner. Having thus folded the upper and lower end closures, they may each be folded again on diagonal score lines 21, 24, respectively, causing opposite edges 28, 3% of the body 10 to be drawn together so that when the end closures are completely folded as described, the body will be collapsed into substantially flat form as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The containers are shipped in this collapsed form from the manufacturer to the filling plant, and since the volume of the containers is at a minimum it will be apparent that a considerable saving in transportation costs is made possible. In addition, after the containers have been received by the filling plant, a large number of containers may be stored in a relatively small space which is of particular advantage when the filling plant is a dairy because of the great quantities of containers needed for daily milk consumption.

When the dairy, in the case of milk containers, is ready to use the containers, the bodies thereof are opened out and placed on a mandrel or some other suitable equipment which moves them to a station Wherethe lower end closures 14 are unfolded and the flange sides 25c, 25d and corresponding flaps 27c, 27d thereof are sealed by the application of heat and pressure to the body. The container, having a liquid-tight lower end closure, is then turned over and filled through the top where the upper end closure 12 is still folded or partially folded along its diagonal score line 20. The container is shown at this stage of formation in Figures 3 -6, inclusive. After each container has been filled, its upper end closure 12 is unfolded and the flange sides 25c, 25d and flaps 27c, 27d thereof are sealed to the container body. The milk, or other content, is then sealed in a liquidtight manner in the container ready for delivery to the ultimate consumer. The liquid-tight condition of the container is enabled not only by the impervious adhesive sealing, mentioned hereinabove, but also by the extra flap or surplus of material 31 in the corner of each cut away portion 18 of the end closures, this surplus being compressed into the corners of the container when fully formed and sealed to insure liquid-tight joints. The upper end closure 12, Figures 1, 2 and 3 is further scored as at 32 and flaps 27a, 27]) are perforated as at 34 to permit the consumer to lift the corner of the closure and pour out the contents. The lifting of the flaps may, if desired, be aided by the provision of a suitable gripper tab 35. i

What I claim is: i

1. A collapsible container carton comprising a tubular body member rectangular in cross section and having side walls free from scores, said body member being adapted to be folded at diagonally opposite corners to substantially fiat form, an end closure'member of complemental rectangular form positioned at each end of the body, each of said end closures being formed with a pair of score lines extending diagonally from the corners of the closures, two contiguous side edges of each of said end closures being fixedly secured to like contiguous side Walls at the ends of the tubular body member and the other two contiguous side edges being unsecured to the tubular body member, the unsecured portion of each end closure being foldable along one of said diagonal score lines over the secured portion, and both of the portions of said end closures being foldable inwardly of the body about said other diagonal score line when the container is in substantially fiat form.

2. A collapsible container carton as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said end closures is provided with an inverted peripheral channel portion adapted to receive the end portions of the tubular body member.

3. A collapsible container carton comprising a tubular body member rectangular in cross section, said body being adapted to be folded at its diagonally opposite corners to substantially fiat form, an end closure member of complemental rectangular form positioned at each end of the body, each of said end closures being formed with an inverted peripheral channel portion adapted to receive the end edge portions of the side walls of said tubular body member, each of said closures being also formed with a pair of score lines extending diagonally from the corners of the closures, the engaging surfaces of said tubular body and end closure members being coated with heat scalable adhesive material, two contiguous side edges of each of said end closures being fixedly sealed to like contiguous side walls at the ends of the tubular body member and the other two contiguous side edges being unsecured to the tubular body member, the unsecured portion of each end closure being foldable over the secured portion thereof along the score line extending diagonally from the corners between the secured and unsecured portions of the closure, and both of the portions of each closure being foldable inwardly of the body about said other diagonal score line when the container is in substantially flat form.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,929 Weiss .Apr. 15, 1913 1,380,880 Austin June 7, 1921 2,470,984 Horning et al May 24, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 223,084 Switzerland Aug. 31, 1942 551,111 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1943 

